Warp drawing machine



July 27, 1948. -R. P. DRAKE WARP DRAWING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2:7. I 1 Ila Ila INVENTOR. Russell F. Dru/(e ATTORNEYS I July 27, 1948. D k 2,445,999

I WARP; DRAWING MACHINE .Filed June 27. 194s v I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,n ZJIgAB. I F

INVENTOR. Russell P .Dra/(c ATTORNEYS ul 27,1948. R, P. DRAKE 2,445,999

WARP DRAWING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3' INVENTOR. 42 45 @1 v Russell P. DIG/l ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, 1948 2. 5.999 WARP nimwnvc M'Acnnm Russell P. Drake, Caledonia, 111., assignor to Bar rolman C mp y, Ro kfor 111- a or.-

poration of Illinois Application June '27, 1946, Serial-No. 679,822

16 Claims. 1

The invent-ion pertains to machines for drawing in warps and has particular reference .to a mechanism for controlling the positions of .heddle frames :of the .type having heddles freely slidable endwise of the frame, so as to shift :the frames endwise with respect to the reed and parallel thereto whereby .-to permit the drawing in of a full harness.

Heddle frames of the character set forth are commonly equipped with hackers :to hold the heddles in compacted relation for release by the release keys. :Such frames nor-respond in width to the width of the reed and when the :full width of the frames is to .be drawn in, the gbackers although occupying fully retracted positions in the heddle frames interfere with and prevent the peration of :the drawing-in needle. I -he backers are usually made of :substantial thickness and it has heretofore been the pra tice wh n d awi g in the full width of the heddle frames to,s hif -t-.t he same manually with respect to the :reed so as to avoid interference :by the hackers and allow the last remaining 'heddles in the harness to be released for threading. Such manual shifting of the frames :has been found, objectionable not .only from the standpoint of the time eonsumed :but ibecauseit results in an uneven distribution of the heddles along each frame ,since a sudden shifting -.of the frame leaves a space between the previously released heddles and those finally .released after the ananual shifting operation, with ;the result that the heddles are not properly alined in the harness when the latter is placed in the loom.

The primary object of the present invention is to effect .a shifting .of the heddle ,frames progressively during the drawing, in operation to the end that a full harness can be .drawn in automatically -withoutthe intervention of the operator, and at the same timee'fiect an even distribution.of the heddles across the full length of the harness.

A further object is to provide a heddle control or shiftin mechanism of practical character for imparting a progressive shifting movement to the heddle frames.

The objects of the invention thus generally set forth, together with other and ancillary advantages, are attained -bythe construction and arrangem'ent shown by way -'of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a'fragmentary:side elevational View, somewhat schematic .in character, f. a warp .drawi-ng machine :embodying my invention.

2 illustrating the shifting mechanism of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line ,Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryperspective .view Qmewhat schematic :in character and showing th heddle shifting mechanism from the side of the machine opp site that shown in ?Fig. 1. v Fig. '5 'is a schematic view showin the r lation ofone of theheddle frames with respect to the reed at the beginnin of the drawin in .en-

oration.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showin :the relationpf the frame to the reed at :theend of the drawing in operation, the hacker, heddle release and presenting devices being shown in (offset relationto :the-reedso as not to interfere with the threading f the :last of the heddles in the frame.

Fig.7 is a, fragmentary elevational view of the lieddle shifting mechanism with the parts in :the relation occupied at the end of the drawing in operation. th initia pes ionof h z ed e f am being shown in broken lines. I

8 is a transverse sectional view ,taken approximately in the plane :of line 8. .8 of Fig 2,.

In the illustrative embodiment .herein selected for purposes of illustration, I have shown a .warp drawing machine comprising a main frame 1,0 .in which is supported a harness consisting of a plurality of heddle-frames Ll, and-a reed I2 (Fig. 3). The heddle frames are suspended by hooks I la carried by blocks Mb having rollers .llc guided for movement :alon tracks I Id on the main frame l0; andthe reedis stationarily sup- .ported rearwardly of the harness as viewed in 1 in parallel relation. thereto. T-husthe .hecldle frames are supported for endwise move- ,ment relative .to ,the greed.

The he'ddles of each frame are released suc- .cessively-and presen ed to-the drawing-in needle .N (Fig. 3) by a heddle release key t3 and a turning or presenting worm l4, respectiv.ely mounted on shafts J5 and 136 on acarriage I]. The carriage ..is mounted upo the frame Ill for traveling movementunder the control .of a.-sensitive feed mechanism (not shown),-in a manner well -understoodin theart.

Associated with each heddle frame is a backer l8 :for-maintainingbhellflc of unreleased heddles fin compressed or compacted form. As shown, .the free ends of the shafts l6 carrying the :h dl r in wo ms L e s p o ted in bearing standards 19 on gthe carriage l1.

The relationof. he heddle frames with respect to the reed at the beginning of the drawing in operation is shown in Fig. 5. As the operation proceeds, the heddles are released successively by the release keys and presented to the drawing-in needle N (Fig. 3) by the turning worms I4.

In carrying out my invention, I provide means operating in timed relation to the movement of the carriage H for imparting 'a progressive shifting movement to all of the heddle frames of the harness in the direction of movement of the carriage, but at a reduced rate so as to shift the heddle frames from a normally alined position with respect to the reed shown in Fig. 5 to a partially offset relation thereto as shown in Fig. 6. In the present instance, the means employed comprises an auxiliary carriage in the form of a slide mounted on the main frame for movement in a direction parallel to the heddle frames and located at one end thereof (herein the left end as shown in Figs. 1 and 2); and for actuating the slide I provide gearing arranged for actuation by the carriage in its movement relative to the harness.

As herein shown, the carriage or slide 20 comprises a pair of rack bars 2| mounted in a frame member 22 of the machine in spaced parallel relation (Fig. 3) and having a pair of arms 23 connected by a cross bar 24. The arms 23 removably support a retaining rod 25 for insertion through the heddle frame as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 4, thus providing a disengageable connection between the slide and the heddle frames. The upper ends of the brackets are additionally connected by a tie rod 26.

In the present instance, the cross bar 24 is positioned on the slide so as to provide a support for the lower heddle bar 21 of each heddle frame, the bar having an extension 28 projecting through the heddle frame so as to rest upon and be supported by the cross bar 24 independently of the heddles, thereby freeing the latter for free sliding movement relative to the frame. Also, it will be observed that the cross bar 24 bears against the adjacent end of each of the heddle frames so that movement imparted to the slide is transmitted to the heddle frames through the medium of the cross bar. The retaining rod 25 serves to connect the heddle frames with the slide so as to prevent movement of the frames relative to the slide due to frictional engagement between the backers and their respective frames and between the unreleased heddles and their supporting bars as the heddle frames move with the carriage in the drawing in operation.

The cross bar 24 of the slide is preferably mounted for adjustment into either of two positions with respect to the slide so as to accommodate heddle frames having heddles of different lengths. For this purpose the cross bar is provided with end flanges 29 slotted to receive clamping bolts 30 in the brackets 23 and the latter are provided with stop members 3| and 32 disposed respectively above and below the plates 29. By loosening the clamping bolts 30, the cross bar may be moved into position against either of the stops 3| or 32 according to the lengths of the heddles being operated upon.

The gearing connection between the main carriage l1 and the auxiliary carriage or slide 20 comprises in the present instance apair of pinions 33 mounted on a shaft 34 and meshing with rack teeth 35 on the rack bars 2!. The shaft 34 is suitably journaled in the main frame and has a rearward extension 34a (Fig. 3) carrying a pinion 36 meshing with an underlying rack bar 3.

4 slidably supported in the machine frame ID, the extent of movement of this bar 31 relative to the frame being limited by guide studs 38 operating in slots 39 of the bar. As shown in Fig. 8, the studs 33 are secured to frame brackets 40 and are shouldered to clamp to the bracket an additional rack bar 4|. The rack bar 4| is thus stationarily mounted in the machine frame a'ndco'nstitutes a portion of means operative in the movement of the main carriage [1 to transmit a proportional movement to the rack bar 31 connected with the slide 26. Such movement of the bar 31 is accomplished by two pinions 42 and 43 (Fig. 8) riveted together and respectively meshing with the stationary rack bar 4| and with the movable or actuating rack bar 31, the two pinions being mounted on a stub shaft 43a carried by a suitably elongated extension of the carriage l1. The pinion 43 is herein shown somewhat larger than the pinion 42, the latterhaving in the present instance twenty-seven teeth and the former'twenty-five teeth.

It will be seen that as the carriage I1 moves to the right in Fig. 2, or to the left as shown in Fig. 4, rotational movement is imparted to the pinion 42 and thereby to the pinion 43 rigid therewith so as to cause the actuating rack bar 31 to move in the direction of movement of the carriage at a predetermined speed, the gearing being so proportione'd as to cause the heddle frames to move in timed relation to the movement of the main carriage H but at a reduced rate such that at the end of the drawing in operation-the heddle frames will occupy offset positions with respect to the reed as shown in Fig. 6. In this position, the backers ll, release keys l3 and heddle presenting worms l4 are disposed at the right-hand ends of the frames, thereby exposing the last remaining heddles in the frames for the threading operation.

At the end of the drawing in operation the operator may find it desirable to return the heddle frames to their initial positions in advance of the return of the main carriage, in order to facilitate removal of the harness from the machine and to permit manual replacement of any threads which may have been withdrawn from the dents of the reed due to the shifting of the frames relative to the reed. For this purpose, the actuating means for the auxiliary carriage is constructed to provide a disengageable connection with the main carriage. In the present instance, the actuating rack bar 31 has its teeth 31a formed on a member 44 slidable with respect to the bar but normally held against movement relative thereto by means of a latch 45. The latter is pivoted on the bar 44 and normally engages with a shoulder 46 on the bar 31. The latch is formed with a fingerpiece 41 .so that it may be conveniently lifted out of engagement with the shoulder 45 thereby permitting relative movement between the teeth carrying member 44 and the bar 31 proper. Thus it will be seen that the operator may by grasping the tie rod 26 of the auxiliary carriage or slide 20 (having first lifted the latch 45) draw the slide to the left (Fig. '1) from the full line position therein indicated to that shown in broken lines. In this operation, the pinion 36 moves the rack member 44 along the bar 31 with the latch sliding along the upper edge of the bar. Thus the slide .20 is moved independently of the actuating rack 31 connected with the main carriage. When the latter is finally returned to its initial position, the rack 31 will be moved thereby (to the right in relative to the reed, said auxiliary carriage having a gearing-connection with the main carriage comprising a stationary rack, a movable rack operatively connected with the auxiliary carriage, and a pairof pinions rotatably mounted on the main carriage and respectively engaging said racks, said pinions being connected for rotation in unison.

'7. In a warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along the frame and havin means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each supporting a pack of heddles with a backer therefor; a heddle frame shifting mechanism comprising an auxill iary carriage mounted in the machine frame for movement in a direction parallel to the main carriage and operatively associated with the heddle frames of the harness to move the same relative to the reed, said auxiliary carriage having a gearing connection with the main carriage comprising a rack bar rigid with the auxiliary carriage, a pinion meshing with said rack bar and mounted for rotation on a fixed axis, a movable rack bar, a pinion meshing with said movable rack bar and connected with the first mentioned pinion to actuate the same, and means operable by the main carriage for actuating said movable rack bar.

8. In a 'warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along the frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each supporting a pack of heddles with a backer therefor; means operative in the movement of the carriage incident to release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising an actuating member movable with the main carriage and r operatively connected with the heddle frames, said member having a disengageable connection with the main carriage to permit of movement'of the heddle frames independently of said actuating member.

9. In a warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along the frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each supporting a pack of heddles with a backer therefor; means operative in the movement .of the carriage incident to such release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising an auxiliary carriage operatively connected with the heddle frames and having a driving connection with the main carriage disengageable to permit movement of the auxiliary carriage independently of the main carriage and automatically re- 8 engageable in .the retum' 'movement of the car-' riage. r

10. In a warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a-drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along the frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of saiddrawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation .to each other and to the reed and each supporting a pack of heddles with, a backer therefor; a heddle frame shifting mechanism comprising an auxiliary carriage mounted in'the machineframe for movement in a direction parallel to the main carriage and operatively associated with the heddle frames of the harness to move the same relative to the reed, said auxiliary carriage hav-. ing a gearing connection with the main carriage comprising a shaft having a driving connection with the auxiliary carriage, a pinion on said shaft and an actuating rack bar operatively connected with the main carriage. and havinga toothed member meshing with said pinion, said member having a disengageable-connection with the bar to permit of movement of the toothed member independently of the bar. 4

11. In a warp drawing machine having a sta-f tionary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted formovement along the frame and having-means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said. harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each supporting a pack of heddles with a backer therefor; means operative in the movement of the carnageincident to such release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising-an auxiliary care riage having an operative connection with the main carriage for movement thereby including a bar connected with the main carriage and having a slide thereon and a latch normally holding the slide against movement relative to the bar, said slide having rack teeth thereon, and a motion transmitting connection between said slide and said auxiliary carriage including a pinion meshing withthe teeth of the slide.

12. In a warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along the frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each supporting a. pack of heddles with a hacker therefor; means operative in themovement of the carriage incident to such release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising an auxiliary carriage slidably mounted for movement in the main frame of the machine, and a member mounted on said auxiliary carriage and providing a support for the harness.

13. In a warp drawing machine having-a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supportingmeans carried by the frame and a carriage mountedfor movement 9 aion the frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of beddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each including a heddle supporting bar; means operative in the movement of the carriage incident to such release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising an auxiliary carriage operatively connected with the main carriage and providing a support for said heddle supporting bar.

14. In a warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along the frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each having a heddle supporting bar; means operative in the movement of the carriage incident to such release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising an auxiliary carriage having a member engageable with the heddle frames to move them and a second member insertable through the heddle frames to connect the frames to the auxiliary carriage, the first of said members providing a support for said heddle bars and being adjustable vertically relative to the auxiliary carriage.

15. In a warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along the frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each supporting a pack of heddles with a hacker therefor; means operative in the movement of the carriage incident to such release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising an auxiliary carriage having a member engageable with the heddle frames to move them and a second member removably supported and insertable through the heddle frames to connect the frames to the auxiliary carriage.

16. In a warp drawing machine having a stationary machine frame, a drawing-in needle, reed and harness supporting means carried by the frame and a carriage mounted for movement along th frame and having means operative upon the harness to release and present successive heddles to the operation of said drawing-in needle, said harness including a plurality of heddle frames supported in parallel relation to each other and to the reed and each supporting a pack of heddles with a backer therefor; means operative in the movement of the carriage incident to such release and presentation of the heddles to impart a shifting movement to the heddle frames relative to the reed comprising an auxiliary carriage having a disengagmble connection with the heddle frames.

RUSSELL P. DRAKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,190,762 Hathaway et a1. July 11, 1916 1,383,195 Field et a1. June 28, 1921 2,175,910 Peterson Oct. 10, 1939 

